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A. PJMEAD. Means for Conveying Shavings, &0., to Furnaces, No 236,172. Patent ed- Jan. 4,1881.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EETcE.

MEANS FOR CONVEYING SHAVINGS, 840., TO FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,172, dated January 4, 1881,

Application filed July 8, 1880. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALoNzoP. MEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Conveying Shavings and Sawdust to Furnaces andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide means for conveying shavings and like material from planing-machines or other wood-working machineryito the fire-pit of a boiler-furnaee or other place of deposit.

My invention consists in the combination, with the main and branch pipes for conducting shavings and like material, of a .valve or cut off arranged and journaled at the junction of the pipes and operated by a connecting-rod extending to and within the boiler-room, so that the feed to the furnace can be absolutely cut off or the discharge to the waste-room.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a pipe for conducting shavings and like material to a furnace, of a series of hinged slats and the operating mechanism, as will be hereinafter set forth.

My invention further consists in the combination, with aconducting-pipe for feedi ng shavings and like material to a furnace, of a selfacting valve or damper arranged Within and fitting the inner dimensions of the pipe at the point of location, whereby sparks, 850., from the furnace are cutoff from setting fire to the shavings in the conductin g-pipe in rear of said valve.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a conducting-pipe feeding shavings and like material to a boiler-furnace, of a self-acting valve arranged within and fitting the inner dimensions of the pipe at the point of location, and a valve located at the entrance end of the conducting-pipe.

My invention further consists in a conductor or branch pipe provided with a separatingchamber having two or more shelves arranged within said chamber, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a conducting-pipe, of a ventilator and a separator, for the purposes as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure l of the drawings is a transverse or horizontal sectional plan view of a portion of a planing-mill, showing my invention, partiallyin section, in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the conducting-pipes, ventilator means, and separating-chamber connected to a boiler-furnace, with the left-hand portion of the pipe, with its ventilator, made 011 a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the conductor c, with its automatic valve, separatingchamber, and spreader connected to a boilerfurnace. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the spreader located within the conducting-pipe or conductor.

In carrying into effect my invention I attach to the machine producing the shavings, by any suitable means, an induction-pipe or conductor leading to the fan A, into which the shavings are deposited. This fan A is of the usual construction of fan-blowers, and is driven by mechanical connections with the power used in operating the mill.

To the fan-blower is attached the conducting or discharge pipe B, which runs directly to the shaving-rooms or other place of deposit. To this pipe B, at any desired point, is afifixed, by suitable connections, the branch conducting-pipe 0 leading therefrom in the direction of the fire-pit of the boiler-furnace. These conducting and discharge pipes B and C may be made of wood or iron.

At a, being the place of junction of the pipes B and G, in the inside of the latter, is placed a gate or cut-off, corresponding in size to both of the pipes, in order that when thrown in the direction of the discharge and of the main pipe it will operate as a cut-off in that direction and open the pipe leading to the fire-place of the boiler-room, and when desired it may be drawn back, covering the mouth of the pipe 0, and thus stopping the passage of the shavings through that pipe and allowing. them to pass on through the main conductor to the waste-room. This valve or cutoff D is operated from the engineroom by means of a lever, arranged as substantially shown in Fig.

There are often two rooms in which the surplus shavings or sawdust are deposited, and in case such are provided where this device is used, at any part ofthe main conductor in the first room, and on the under side thereof, is made a trap-door, which is opened when it is desired to make deposit of the surplus material in the first room, and shut when desired to carry them on to the second apartment for discharge therein.

In the conducting-pipe G, and on the top thereof, at the part and arranged substantially as shown at bin Fi 2 of the drawings. is an opening with or without a series of stationary slats,forming aventilator for relieving the pipe of pressure of air; but in the drawings I have shown the slats hinged and connected to a red by staples to the outer and upper edge of each slat, so that the series may be opened orshnt simultaneously by means ofa lever. The slats operated in this manner will readily let out of the conducting-pipe the com pressed air and prevent undue and unnecessary pressure on the pipe. A trap-door is arranged directly under these vents,to let out, when desired, all knots and heavy shavings that might lodge where the pipe is ventilated.

At a point in the conducting-pipe 0 between the ventilators and the wall of the furnaceroom is a selfacting valve or damper, 0, made of sheetiron, fitting the inside dimension of the pipe, which is square at this part. This damper is attached to and swings on a rod or bolt running through the conductor, so that pressure in the direction of the furnace will cause it to open and allow the passage of the shavings, and when the valve or cut-off at a is closed over the pipe 0 it will, by its own weight,drop to a perpendicular, thus stopping the back draft, and prevent sparks or blaze from setting fire to the shavings remaining in the conducting-pipe.

E represents the enlarged portion of the conducting-pipe, forming a separating-chamber, provided with two or more shelves arranged across and at right angles to the pipe. These shelves are inclined from the place of egress toward the back of the chamber, and are relatively placed so that the upper edge of each succeeding shelf reaches above the level of the lower edge of the preceding one, and they are located at such distances from each other that free exit is afforded to air and dust or fine particles of wood. The object of these shelves is to direct the shavings in a course to aiire-pit,w hile the air escapes through the spaces between the shelves up through the escapepipe to a receiver, provided as may be desired.

F represents a shaving-spreader, placed in the pipe at its terminus at the fire-pit of the boilers. It consists of a blade rigidly fixed to an upright bolt extending through the pipe, the blade reaching in suitable width from the bolt back into the pipe, usually being the same height as the dimension of the pipe. The bolt to which the blade is fixed extends through the under side of the pipe, and is provided with a leverhandle which reaches backward to a convenient distance to meet the grasp of the operator. The object of this blade is to deflect the shavings in their course through the discharge end of the conducting-pipe in any direction to any part of the fire-pit of the boiler-furnace. lt' it is desired to permit the shavings to be directly deposited on a line with the middle of the pipe, and as required to deposit the shavings in the furnace, it can be turned to the right or to the left. This lever G is secured to the bolt by a screw-nut, and to prevent other displacement a loop is fixed to the conducting-pipe near the hand end of the lever, wherein it rests.

The operation of my device is as follows: The fan-blower having been put in operation, the shavings from the planingmachine are drawn down through the pipe to the chamber of the fan-case, from whence they are carried by the force of the current of air out into and along the conductor, from whence they are discharged; or, if desired, the trap-door may be opened, and then be discharged through it into the first shaving-room. NVhen it is wanted to discharge the shavings in the fire pit of the boiler-furnace, the valve or damper a is thrown across the conductor B, and the pipe 0 thus opened. The current forcing open the damper c, the shavings are carried through the pipe, cast against the shelves in the separatingchamber, deflected in their course in the direction of the terminus of this pipe, and distributed over the tire pit by means of the spreader. Should the pressure be great, the ventilators are opened and the difficulty remedied. When the demands of the furnace are supplied, the operator draws back the valve over the entrance of the pipe 0, causing the damper at c to fall back in place, and the discharge of shavings is made through the main conductor into the shaving-rooms.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the main and branch pipes for conducting shavings, of a valve or cut-ofi' arranged and journaled at the junction of the pipes and operated by a connecting-rod extending toand within the boiler room, whereby the feed to the furnace can be absolutely cut ott'or the discharge to the wasteroom alternately, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a pipe for conducting shavings and like material to a furnace, a series of hinged slats and the operating mechanism for relieving the pipe of the pressure of air, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a conducting -pipe feeding shavings and like material to a furnace,

a self-acting valve or damper arranged within and fitting the inner dimensions of the pipe at the point of location, whereby sparks or blaze from the furnace is absolutely cut 011' from set- 5 ting fire to the shavings in the conductingpipe in rear of said valve, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a conductingpipe feedingshavings and like material to a furnace, to a self-actin g valve or damper arranged within and fitting the inner dimensions of the pipe at the point of contact or location, and a Valve located at the entrance end of the conductingpipe, substantially as described, and for the 15 purposes hereinbefore set forth.

5. A conductor or branch pipe having a separating-chamber provided with two or more shelves arranged therein, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with a pipe for con- 20 ducting shavings and similar material, of a ALONZO P. MEAD.

Witnesses:

NATHANIEL S. ROSENAU, ARTHUR W. HICKMAN. 

